2009 UNISDR terminology on disaster risk reduction

The UNISDR Terminology aims to promote a common understanding and usage of disaster risk reduction concepts and to assist the disaster risk reduction efforts of authorities, practitioners and the public. The previous version 'Terminology: Basic terms of disaster risk reduction' was published in 'Living with risk: a global review of disaster risk reduction initiatives' in 2004. The following year, the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015 requested the UNISDR secretariat to “update and widely disseminate international standard terminology related to disaster risk reduction, at least in all official United Nations languages, for use in programme and institutions development, operations, research, training curricula and public information programmes”.

The 2009 version is the result of a process of ongoing review by the UNISDR and consultations with a broad range of experts and practitioners in various international venues, regional discussions and national settings. The terms are now defined by a single sentence. The comments paragraph associated with each term is not part of the definition, but is provided to give additional context, qualification and explanation. It should be noted that the terms are not necessarily mutually exclusive, and in some cases may have overlapping meanings.